56 CHAPTER 1.

VECTORS AND THE GEOMETRY OF SPACE

1.7 Cylindrical and Spherical Coordinates

1.7.1 Review: Polar Coordinates
The polar coordinate system is a two-dimensional coordinate system in which
the position of each point on the plane is determined by an angle and a distance.
The distance is usually denoted r and the angle is usually denoted . Thus, in
this coordinate system, the position of a point will be given by the ordered pair
(r; ). These are called the polar coordinates
These two quantities r and , are determined as follows. First, we need
some reference points. You may recall that in the Cartesian coordinate system,
everything was measured with respect to the coordinate axes. In the polar
coordinate system, everything is measured with respect a …xed point called the
pole and an axis called the polar axis. The is the equivalent of the origin
in the Cartesian coordinate system. The polar axis corresponds to the positive
x-axis. Given a point P in the plane, we draw a line from the pole to P .
The distance from the pole to P is r, the angle, measured counterclockwise,
by which the polar axis has to be rotated in order to go through P is . The
polar coordinates of P are then (r; ). Figure 1.7.1 shows two points and their
representation in the polar coordinate system.

Remark 79 Let us make several remarks.

1. Recall that a positive value of means that we are moving counterclock-

wise. But can also be negative. A negative value of means that the
polar axis is rotated clockwise to intersect with P . Thus, the same point
can have several polar coordinates. For example, (2; 90) and (2; 270)
represent the same point.

2. Recall that given an angle , the angles + 2 , + 4 , :::, + 2k where

k = 0; 1; 2; 3; ::: represent the same angle. Thus, (r; ) and (r; + 2k )
where k = 0; 1; 2; 3; ::: represent the same point.
1.7. CYLINDRICAL AND SPHERICAL COORDINATES 57

3. Recall that a positive value of r means that the point is away from the pole
in the direction of the positive x-axis (taking into account the rotation by
). But r can also have a negative value. A negative value of r means
that the point is away from the pole in the direction of the negative x-axis.
Thus (r; ) and ( r; + ) represent the same point.

4. The pole has in…nitely many polar coordinates. They are of the form (0; )
where can be anything.

Why do we need another coordinate system? Cartesian coordinates are not

best suited for every shape. Certain shape, including circular ones, cannot
even be represented as a function in Cartesian coordinates. These shapes are
more easily represented in polar coordinates. We will see some examples below.
First, we need to see how to go back and forth between Cartesian and polar co-
ordinates. Figure 1.7.1 helps us understand how the two coordinate systems are
related. We list the formulas which allow the switch between the two coordinate
systems as a proposition.

Proposition 80 The following formulas can be used to switch between Carte-

sian and polar coordinates.

1. From polar to Cartesian coordinates: Given r and , we can …nd x

and y by:

x = r cos (1.16)
y = r sin

2. From Cartesian to polar coordinates: Given x and y, we can …nd r

58 CHAPTER 1. VECTORS AND THE GEOMETRY OF SPACE

and by:
x2 + y 2 = r2 (1.17)
y
tan =
x
We now look at some examples of converting points between polar and Carte-
sian coordinates.
2
Example 81 Convert 4; in Cartesian coordinates.
3
Using formulas 1.16 we have:
2 1
x = 4 cos = 4 =2
3 2
p !
2 3 p
y = 4
4 sin = = 2 3
3
2
p
So, in Cartesian coordinates, the point is 2; 2 3 .
Example 82 Convert (1; 0) in polar coordinates.
We don’t need a formula here. This point is on the x-axis, one unit from the
origin. Its polar coordinates are (1; 0)
p p !
2 2
Example 83 Convert ; in polar coordinates.
2 2
Using formulas 1.17, we have:
p !2 p !2
2 2 2
r = + =1
2 2

This gives us
r= 1
and
x
tan =
y
p
2
= p2
2
2
= 1
Thus
=
4
With a choice of = , we see that we must have r = 1. So, in polar coordi-
4
nates, the point is 1; .
4
1.7. CYLINDRICAL AND SPHERICAL COORDINATES 59

We now look at how to convert the equation of known shapes between Carte-
sian and polar coordinates. Recall that when we write the equation of a shape,
we are writing conditions that the coordinates of a point must satisfy in order
to belong to that shape. In Cartesian coordinates, this relation is between x
and y. In polar coordinates, the relation will be between r and . Of course, the
equations of the shapes you know in Cartesian coordinates will look very di¤er-
ent in polar coordinates. To perform this, we will use the relations in equations
1.16 and 1.17.

Example 84 What is the equation of the line y = 2x + 5 in polar coordinates.

Rewriting in terms of r and , we have

r sin = 2r cos + 5

There is not much to simplify here.

Example 85 What is the equation of the horizontal line through (1; 2) in polar
coordinates?
In Cartesian coordinates, it is y = 2. This gives us

r sin = 2

Example 86 What is the equation of the circle of radius 2 centered at the origin
in polar coordinates?
In Cartesian coordinates, this equation is x2 + y 2 = 4. This gives us

r2 cos2 + r2 sin2 = 4
2 2 2
r sin + cos = 2
2
r = 4

or r = 2.

Example 87 What is in Cartesian coordinate = 5?

1 y
is related to x and y via the tangent function. = tan . Hence, we have
x
y
= tan = tan 5
x
that is
y = (tan 5) x
This is the equation of the line through the origin with slope tan 5.

Polar coordinate can be extended to the three-dimensional space di¤erent

ways. We present two here: the cylindrical coordinate system and the spherical
coordinate system.
60 CHAPTER 1. VECTORS AND THE GEOMETRY OF SPACE

Figure 1.36: Cylindrical Coordinates

1.7.2 Cylindrical Coordinates

These are coordinates for a three-dimensional space. In this coordinate system,
a point P is represented by the triple (r; ; z) where r and are the polar
coordinates of the projection of P onto the xy-plane and z has the same meaning
as in Cartesian coordinates. Figure 1.36 shows a point in cylindrical coordinates.
Switching between Cartesian coordinates and cylindrical coordinates will use
the same formulas as when switching between polar and Cartesian coordinates.
We illustrate this with a few examples.
p
1 3
Example 88 Convert 2; 2 ; 5 to cylindrical coordinates.
We see that

r2 = x2 + y 2
2 p !2
1 3
= +
2 2
= 1

and
y
tan =
x
p
= 3
1.7. CYLINDRICAL AND SPHERICAL COORDINATES 61

Thus = 3 and r = 1. Thus, the cylindrical coordinates are 1; 3 ; 5 .

Example 89 What is the equation in cylindrical coordinates of the cone x2 +

y2 = z2 .
Replacing x2 + y 2 by r2 , we obtain r2 = z 2 which usually gives us r = z.
Since z can be any real number, it is enough to write r = z. Thus, in cylindrical
coordinates, this cone is z = r.

Example 90 What is the equation in Cartesian coordinates of r = 3. What is

it?
Since r = 3, we see that r2 = 9 that is x2 + y 2 = 9. This is a cylinder centered
along the z-axis, of radius 3.

1.7.3 Spherical Coordinates

This is a three-dimensional coordinate system. The coordinates of a point P
are given by the ordered pair ( ; ; ') where:

is the distance from the origin to P . We assume 0.

has the same meaning as in polar and cylindrical coordinates. There are
no restrictions on .

' is the angle between the positive z-axis and the line from the origin to
P . We restrict ' to 0 ' .

This is illustrated by …gure 1.37.

Let us …rst derive the formulas to switch between Cartesian and spherical
coordinates.
Using the triangle one can make with the z-axis and the line from the origin
through P , we have
z = cos ' (1.18)
and
r = sin ' (1.19)
Also
z 2 + r2 = 2
(1.20)
Using the triangle one can make with the x-axis and the line from the origin
to the projection of P on the xy-plane, we have

x = r cos (1.21)
y = r sin

and also
x2 + y 2 = r 2 (1.22)
62 CHAPTER 1. VECTORS AND THE GEOMETRY OF SPACE

Figure 1.37: Spherical Coordinates

Combining relations 1.18, 1.19 and 1.21 gives us

x = sin ' cos

y = sin ' sin
z = cos '

Combining relations 1.20 and 1.22 gives us

x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 2

In conclusion, the following relations can be used to switch between Cartesian

and spherical coordinates:

x = sin ' cos (1.23)

y = sin ' sin
z = cos '
2
= x2 + y 2 + z 2

We illustrate this with some examples.

p
Example 91 Convert 1; 1; 2 from Cartesian to spherical.
2 p 2
We can get easily. 2 = ( 1) + 12 + 2 = 4. Thus, = 2. From
1.7. CYLINDRICAL AND SPHERICAL COORDINATES 63
p p
z = cos ', we see that cos' = 2 2 hence ' = cos 1 2 2 = 43 . Finally,
to …nd , we can use the equation
p involving x or y. Let’s use y. We have
y 1 1
sin = sin ' = 3
2 sin 4
= 2 2. Several values for would work. 4 , 34 .
However, the projection of P on the xy-plane is in the second quadrant, so we
must have = 34 . Thus, the spherical coordinates are 2; 34 ; 34 .
p p
Example 92 Convert 6; 4 ; 2 from cylindrical to spherical.
Let us …rst note that is the samepin both coordinates
p systems. Next, we can get
from equation 1.20. Since r = 6 and z = 2, we see that 2 = z 2 + r2 = 8.
p p
2
Thus, = 2 2. Finally, we use z = cos ' to get '. cos' = = 2 2 = 12 .
z p
p
Thus, ' = 3 . Hence, the spherical coordinates are 2 2; 4 ; 3 .

Example 93 Identify the surface given by = 2.

Converting to Cartesian coordinates gives x2 +y 2 +z 2 = 4. Hence, it is a sphere
centered at the origin, with radius 2. This is important to remember. In general,
the equation = c is the equation of the sphere of radius c centered at the origin
in spherical coordinates.

Make sure you can do the above before attempting the problems.

1.7.4 Problems
Do odd # 3- 23 at the end of 9.7 in your book.